The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 13

It’s been a while since people gathered at the restaurant.

Though the table was luxurious for only three people to sit at, the sight of everyone huddled around the round dining table brought back old memories.

Olivia and the Head of the Household.

The Deputy Head of the Household and the Lady of the Household.

Although sitting down often led to daily quarrels, we still shared somewhat harmonious times. It had been a long time since we sat at the dining table and ate face-to-face.

It’s been about a year.

Since eating at the dining table.

I had always resolved meals in the bedroom with the Young Lady, but sitting at the dining table after so long felt nice.

With a fluttering heart, I asked the Master of the House.

“How do you feel about coming out after so long?”

The Young Lady had a sullen expression.

The Young Lady seemed full of complaints. It wasn’t as if her nap had been interrupted, so why such an expression? I thought she’d be happy to see a guest.

Olivia’s gaze was fixed on Hanna.

More precisely, her gaze was stuck on Hanna’s sky-blue pajamas.

“That. Isn’t that mine?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Then why is she wearing it?”

Hanna shrank her shoulders under the Young Lady’s gaze, as if she had stolen a cherished garment.

Thinking that the Master of the House’s mood had been disturbed, Hanna hesitated and fidgeted, wondering if she should change into her damp clothes. I spoke honestly to the Young Lady.

“I stole it.”

“Ah.”

The Young Lady nodded as if satisfied.

“You should’ve given her something pretty.”

The Young Lady wasn’t upset about the dress being taken away. She was upset because it wasn’t a pretty dress.

Hanna looked at Olivia, who seemed to understand and nodded, and at me, who proudly admitted to stealing it, with an incredulous expression.

This was just daily life for us.

As the Young Lady’s anger subsided, I asked the question I had left unfinished earlier.

“How does it feel to be at the dining room after so long?”

“I hate it. It’s bothersome.”

“If you keep that up, you’ll turn into a pig.”

Olivia wore a confident expression.

“A pig?”

Straightening her shoulders, Olivia proudly showed off her chest. It was certainly excessive, but for a grown adult to act like that in front of a guest made me want to flick her forehead.

That smug expression too.

“When I eat, it all goes to my chest.”

“Don’t lie. Then is the belly fat just greed?”

I teased Olivia, pointing at the belly fat sticking out from her side.

Olivia fumed, throwing a fork at me, but it didn’t even come close.

“Too slow.”

“Ugh…”

The Young Lady clutched the back of her neck.

This is why I don’t give the Young Lady chocolate. If she eats too much, she’ll get hypertension. What if she collapses while I’m teasing her?

I deflated her overconfidence with a sneer.

“Pig.”

Though Olivia’s shriek rang out in response to my mocking laugh, I ignored her and prepared the meal.

Hanna looked at us with an expression that said she couldn’t get used to this.

Hanna stared at us as if seeing a wild owl, wondering if this kind of relationship between a butler and master was even acceptable.

As I placed a fork and knife on the table, I spoke.

“Don’t worry, we’re not crazy bastards.”

“No…”

Hanna thought to herself that we probably were crazy bastards.

She recalled the last time she saw us, when someone had shoved their fist into their mouth and cried, and thought we were insane.

A butler who teased the rumored villainess, and a villainess who threw forks at her butler—neither side made sense to her.

Of course, they were good people, but they didn’t seem normal.

Reading Hanna’s bewildered expression, I chuckled softly.

“It’s because we’re excited. Both the Young Lady and I.”

“Excited? About what? I don’t understand at all.”

“Just.”

Looking at the Young Lady’s expression as she stared intently at Hanna, I said.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had someone over.”

Hanna said nothing.

How should she describe this feeling?

Suddenly, her chest felt tight.

It had been a long time since she felt welcomed.

In her memories, birthdays were always days of crying.

Crying her eyes out because of her father’s indifference.

Locking herself in a room where no one celebrated her, blowing out candles alone.

It felt like this was the first time she’d ever been truly welcomed by someone.

“Are you happy that I came?”

Hanna asked me.

Her voice slightly choked with emotion.

As a butler, I was happy to have work to do after so long. I was also glad that she came back to this estate because she remembered the green tea I made.

We’d only known each other for two weeks, so it was excessive attention.

And it was convenient for advancing the quest quickly, too.

Even with such practical thoughts, I could answer her question sincerely.

“Yes. I am happy.”

“Really?”

“Of course. In that sense, after the meal, could I ask you to keep the Young Lady company?”

Hanna suddenly went silent.

At my request, the Young Lady let out a puff of air from her nose. She pretended not to care, but she was clearly looking forward to it. The anticipation of being able to have a conversation just between women after so long seemed to make her already start planning what to talk about in her head.

And I was working hard to meet the Young Lady’s expectations.

Hanna didn’t answer.

I didn’t expect to hear her answer either.

Even if she refused, I would make her do it.

There’s no such thing as a free meal.

While I was at it, I thought I’d ask for something else too.

“Isn’t it uncomfortable being soaked in the rain?”

“A little?”

“Then, after the meal, why don’t you take a bath with the Young Lady?”

Huff.

The Young Lady let out an even bigger puff of air from her nose. She seemed excited.

“Huh…?”

Hanna’s face twisted into an incredulous expression.

It was amusing to see.

“You look a bit better now.”

“Pardon?”

“Your expression looks much better than before.”

Hanna touched her face. Her lips had curled up slightly. Even though she clearly didn’t want to do it… Even though being given errands annoyed her, her lips were being overly honest.

Why am I smiling?

It had been a long time since she’d smiled on her birthday.

A peculiar atmosphere lingered for a moment.

The Voice of the Young Lady, who held the title of “Atmosphere Slayer,” was heard.

“Ricardo, I’m hungry.”

“As expected. Gluttonous Fairy.”

“Is that an insult?”

Olivia had a Question Mark on her Head.

I chuckled softly and brushed it off as Praise.

“No, it means you’re as beautiful as a fairy.”

“Well, I am a fairy.”

“That’s correct. Though you eat much more than a fairy, you are indeed one.”

Whoosh. A Fork flew at me, but I easily dodged it again.

With an innocent face, Olivia asked me.

“What’s for dinner today?”

“What would you like to eat?”

The Correct Answer was written in Olivia’s eyes. She always gave the same answer.

“Meat?”

As always, I responded with a denial. The reason she asked about the dinner menu wasn’t to voice her opinion. It was more like a kind of Telepathy game to see if what I planned to cook matched what she wanted to eat.

If it didn’t match, she’d be disappointed.

If it did match, she’d be pleased.

That was how it worked.

“No.”

“Hmph.”

As I had told Miss Hanna earlier, today’s menu was a Cake.

A Fresh Cream Cake piled high with whipped cream.

In my Previous Life, my hobbies were cooking and baking, so I had some confidence in baking. I was sure it wouldn’t fail.

The dessert would be a Fresh Cream Cake.

The side menu would be something simple, like Seasoned Fried Chicken.

And for the main dish, a food that women in my Previous Life went crazy for. Whether they were sad, happy, or even depressed, this dish never failed to excite them.

I thought that if I made this dish, which people were almost obsessively attached to, it might help lift Miss Hanna’s gloomy mood.

I smiled confidently at Olivia.

“It’s a dish you love, Young Lady.”

Then I turned to Miss Hanna and gave her the same confident smile.

“Miss Hanna, it’s a dish you’ll enjoy as well. It might be your first time trying it, but just eat it. Guests are supposed to eat what they’re served.”

Miss Hanna looked at me with a bewildered expression.

So what? If I wanted to do it, I’d do it.

I headed to the Kitchen.

Before long, a spicy aroma began to fill the Restaurant.

***

“Huff… Haa…”

“Haaa… Haaah.”

“Sss… Haah.”

Enticing moans echoed through the Restaurant.

I adjusted my posture. This wasn’t the kind of scene I intended to create. Did I make it too spicy?

Actually, it was fine.

Anyone overhearing might mistake this for something scandalous.

Even Olivia, who was quite used to spicy food, seemed to struggle with this dish as she fanned her skirt.

Watching her unrefined behavior, I said.

“Young Lady, you’re being too indecent. Please stop.”

“Why! It’s too hot.”

“Even so, it’s too suggestive.”

Clicking her tongue, Olivia glanced at me. After my continuous Nagging, she gave up fanning her skirt and focused on eating.

A red dish sat in the middle of the Table.

One of the dishes I was best at making in my Previous Life: Tteokbokki.

I wondered if the spicy flavor would appeal to people in this world. Since childhood, I’d experimented on the Young Lady, and she had eaten it surprisingly well, so I thought it might work for Miss Hanna too.

As expected, Miss Hanna was eating it well.

“It’s spicy but delicious. My tongue hurts, but… sss. It’s strangely addictive.”

It seemed to suit her taste.

A Smile naturally formed on my face.

“Is it good?”

“It’s really good!”

Watching her eat, sweating slightly, reminded me of myself at the orphanage, picking out only the fish cakes.

A person who truly knows how to eat.

Since there were no fish cakes in this world, I had substituted them with ham, and it turned out surprisingly well.

Seeing Miss Hanna diligently pick out the ham from the Tteokbokki made me feel unexpectedly touched.

Of course, Olivia’s Favorability toward Miss Hanna was dropping in real-time.

“Eeeek! Stop picking out just the ham!”

“But you’re only eating the ham too, Young Miss.”

“This is my house!”

“And I’m a Guest!”

“Eeeek.”

Seeing Olivia look like she might collapse from Hypertension, I picked out some ham and placed it on her Plate to calm her down.

Miss Hanna looked at me with passionate eyes.

“It’s my first time having this, but it’s delicious.”

“It’s a dish that costs quite a bit.”

“What?”

Miss Hanna was momentarily surprised.

I spoke to her with a playful tone.

“It’s 100,000 Gold.”

Clang. Olivia dropped her Fork.

“What!”

Why are you the one surprised?

“How much have I eaten so far?! A hundred thousand, a million, ten million?!”

“No.”

“Ricardo… Have I really become a money-eating pig?”

I looked at Olivia with an incredulous expression, and she looked back at me, equally incredulous.

Of course, Miss Hanna remained calm.

She seemed to think it was just a Joke.

Worried about Olivia’s panicked heart, I corrected myself.

“It’s a Lie. It didn’t even cost 10 Shillings.”

“Phew. I almost had to go on a forced Diet.”

The Young Lady focused on eating again.

Miss Hanna nodded.

“What is this dish called?”

“Tteokbokki.”

“Tteokbokki.”

“Yes, I made it especially for you since you’re here. It’s a recipe of mine, so no one else can make it.”

“Is it okay to make such a unique dish for me?”

Miss Hanna’s eyes widened. She seemed surprised that I had made a one-of-a-kind dish just for her.

I told her, as if it were obvious.

“It’s your Birthday.”

“…”

Hanna gripped the fork tightly.

“That’s right. It’s my birthday today.”

Hanna’s breathing was rough as she silently ate the tteokbokki.

“Hiccup… What’s happening? It must be too spicy.”

“That’s right. I made it spicy.”

“I don’t usually act like this. Sniff… What’s wrong with me? Haha… It’s just so delicious…”

I placed a water cup beside her and spoke again.

“Happy birthday.”

“Sniff… Thank you.”

It seemed Hanna was someone who cried easily.

***

Night had fallen.

Unexpectedly, I ended up sleeping at someone else’s house.

It had been a long time since I stayed out overnight. With no friends and spending all my time practicing swordsmanship, the only times I’d ever stayed out were when I camped outdoors for a mission.

Sleeping at someone else’s house.

It felt awkward.

But it wasn’t unpleasant.

I’d eaten food that completely relieved my stress and heard a warm welcome. Even though I came to this house as an intruder, the butler treated me as a guest, which I deeply appreciated.

Of course, the Young Lady was still intimidating.

Many things had happened.

I resented my family for ignoring my birthday.

I hated my father for neglecting me, so I ran away.

And I even cried while eating.

“Sigh… Idiot, why did you cry there!”

Hanna kicked the blanket furiously.

‘Still, it was really nice.’

It felt like the most enjoyable birthday I’d ever had.

For the first time in a long while, I felt emotions I could never experience in a house where my father only cared about my brother’s swordsmanship on my birthday, or where I was ignored even when I greeted them. It was oddly thrilling.

Tomorrow, I could shake it all off and stand up again.

I felt like I had gained the strength to face what was ahead.

Until just a while ago, I wanted to give up on everything, including swordsmanship. Coming here was the right choice.

But a part of me feared the morning sun. Because I’d have to return to that suffocating house. They probably wouldn’t even notice I was gone.

My father was too focused on my brother.

My brother said he was on the verge of becoming a Sword Expert. That’s why my father was so eager to teach him more.

“…I really hate it.”

As the loneliness crept in, so did the sadness. Hanna clutched the blanket tightly and curled up.

“I should’ve just slept next to the Young Miss.”

I had asked for a separate room, thinking the Young Miss might chatter all night if I stayed near her. Now, I regretted it.

Just as I thought I wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight—

-Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Are you awake?”

A familiar voice was heard.

Hanna cautiously got up and opened the door.

“Haha…”

Ricardo was standing there with an awkward smile.

In his hands were snacks and green tea.

“I realized I forgot something.”

“Come in.”

“Thank you.”

As the door closed and I looked at Ricardo’s face, Hanna’s face instantly grew hot.

She had forgotten the fact that two grown adults were in a room with a roof and walls.

Strange thoughts started to surface.

And even more suggestive ones followed.

We weren’t in that kind of relationship, yet countless fantasies seemed to play out in my head.

As Ricardo took a step closer to her, Hanna squeezed her eyes shut and shouted.

“I’m sorry! I’m not ready yet…”

“Huh? Ready for what?”

“I mean, we’re not in that kind of relationship…”

Ricardo burst into laughter.

He thanked her for not screaming and explained that he hadn’t come with any inappropriate intentions, which made Hanna’s face turn as red as it could get.

“Then why…?”

“Ah…”

Ricardo smiled gently and said.

“I thought I hadn’t given you a birthday gift.”

Hanna wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.